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The Revitalisation Project

Recommendations to the

CAMRA National Executive

November 2016

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CONTENTS

1. An exciting journey ahead – introduction by Michael Hardman MBE 3

2. Executive summary and key recommendations 4

3. CAMRA's purpose 7

a. Real ale 7

b. Cider and perry 9

c. Other types of beer 10

d. Pubs and clubs 15

e. Other on-trade outlets 17

f. The off-trade 18

g. The arbiter of quality 19

h. Education and information 20

i. Challenging the anti-alcohol lobby 22

4. CAMRA's positioning, vision, mission and strategy 24

a. Summary of recommendations 24

b. Positioning 25

c. Vision 27

d. Mission statement 27

e. Strategy 28

f. Activities 28

g. Articles of Association 29

5. Our values 30

6. CAMRA's structure 32

7. The next steps 34

8. Appendix A – List of proposals 35

9. Appendix B – Definition of terms in this document 39

10. Appendix C – Consultation process 41

11. Appendix D – PEST analysis 43

12. Appendix E – SWOT analysis 45

13. Appendix F – The Steering Committee and Project Team 47

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1. An exciting journey ahead

The Revitalisation Project was born in the summer of 2015 with the objective of weighing up

whether CAMRA’s purpose, focus and strategy were robust enough at a time of

unprecedented changes in the brewing industry and licensed trade. We were asked to set up a

steering committee to come up with recommendations for shaping the Campaign’s future. We

named the review in honour of the original name of our organisation when it was founded in

1971: the Campaign for the Revitalisation of Ale.

When the committee first met, none of us — and none of the people who have joined the

committee since — had any preconceived ideas of what we would recommend. Before we

made any decisions, we wanted to canvas the opinions of the 180,000 and more members of

CAMRA. So we set about organising more than 50 consultation meetings for members

around the country and listened to what leaders of the brewing industry, licensees, Members

of Parliament and peers, beer writers and others had to say about the Campaign. And we have

now sent out three surveys to members asking what direction they want to take.

From the outset, we were accused by some of the more vociferous active members of having

already decided what we would be proposing. Had that been true, we would have been spared

the trouble of trekking from Truro to Glasgow and there would have been no need for

members of the committee to travel hundreds of miles to attend meetings in London. As it

turned out, it was only a few weeks ago that we began to form a consensus as to what we

would recommend, based entirely on the opinions of the membership.

This paper is the result of our deliberations.

We have set out a programme aimed at increasing the popularity and quality of real ale,

recruiting and retaining more members, promoting pubs and clubs as the cornerstones of

communities and emphasising their role in making real ale widely available. We want to see

more emphasis on educating members, the public and the licensed trade about how beer is

brewed, stored and served. We also envisage a challenge to the anti-alcohol lobby and

advocate widening CAMRA’s scope without campaigning for other kinds of beer or

forsaking our view that well-kept real ale is the pinnacle of the brewer’s art. These are only a

few, if perhaps the most important, of our proposals, which are laid out in full in the

following pages.

We have come a long way since we were four lads from the north west of England on a

boozy tour of Ireland. We abandoned our sightseeing for one evening and formed what came

to be described a few years later as the most successful consumer campaign in Europe.

We intend to keep going for many more miles and many more years before our time is up.

We hope all of you will join us on our exciting journey.

Michael Hardman MBE

Chairman of the Revitalisation Project

and founder member of CAMRA

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2. Executive summary and key recommendations

CAMRA is an independent, voluntary organisation campaigning for real ale, community

pubs and consumer rights. It is the clear view of the membership that this core focus should

not change1.

The question at the heart of the Revitalisation Project has, therefore, not been how CAMRA

could or should alter its fundamental purpose – it has been apparent from the very earliest

stages of our consultation process that there is no appetite for this, either among members or

those whom the Campaign seeks to influence.

Rather, the role for the Steering Committee has been to consider, drawing principally upon

the views expressed by members, how CAMRA can capitalise on its successes to date and

continue to deliver most effectively in the years and decades to come. In other words, to

review how an organisation founded in 1971, amid a pub and beer market completely

unrecognisable today, can continue to remain relevant, credible and effective for its next 45

years.

CAMRA’s stated vision is to have quality real ale and thriving pubs in every community. The

first, and perhaps most important, recommendation of the Revitalisation Project is that this

vision should remain unaltered. CAMRA must remain the Campaign for Real Ale, and

nothing proposed here should be seen as taking the organisation away from its longstanding

core ambitions.

But this is most certainly not a manifesto for the status quo.

Among the Steering Committee’s tasks were to conduct political, economic, sociological and

technological (PEST) and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analyses.

The SWOT analysis was designed to take a fresh look at CAMRA’s position today, and

consider what legacy the Campaign’s evolution over the past 45 years has left for the years

and decades to come. The PEST analysis, meanwhile, was conducted in recognition that

CAMRA is affected by its ever-changing external environment2.

In conducting these analyses we found that CAMRA is too often an organisation that

resembles the era in which it was founded – a weakness that has not only caused reputational

damage in the eyes of people who look upon the Campaign from the outside, but which is a

source of huge frustration to large numbers of our members and, in many cases, a barrier to

their activation. While CAMRA’s aspirations remain as relevant as they always have been,

the ways in which it sometimes goes about trying to realise them are not. The membership

and activist base is ageing every year, and attendance at some of our biggest festivals is going

down, threatening their financial viability. These trends cannot be allowed to continue.

Without change, CAMRA faces a bleak future – and without CAMRA there to fight their

corner, real ale and pubs would face a bleak future too. But by learning from its remarkable

history and once again becoming as relevant, dynamic and radical as it was back in its early

1 In the Revitalisation Project’s second survey of members, 99% of respondents indicated that CAMRA should

continue to “provide information about and develop understanding amongst consumers” of real ale and should

“support and campaign for consumption and sale” in pubs. 2 Summaries of the SWOT and PEST analyses are included in the appendices.

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days, CAMRA can go on to achieve even more than it did back then. And with 21 pubs

closing every week, there is certainly much more still to fight for.

Many of the changes we propose are matters of emphasis or of tactics. Among the questions

we have considered are:

How can CAMRA most effectively achieve its core purpose?

What should CAMRA’s priorities be if it is to reflect the views of its membership?

And how can CAMRA most effectively and efficiently use its valuable resources –

whether that is its funds or the time, effort and expertise of active volunteers – to

deliver its vision?

Our research has led us to conclude that there are two overarching imperatives that must be

pursued if CAMRA is to be successful in realising its vision:

i. The development of committed campaigners. Concerns about the decrease in the

number of active members and the lack of knowledge and understanding of both members

and the wider public about real ale have been evident throughout the consultation. Indeed

the loss of active members was one of the drivers for the strategic review. To address this,

under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should actively encourage all people who consider themselves to be

discerning beer, cider or perry drinkers to join the Campaign.

Information and activities should be provided to support all members in their learning

about beer, cider and perry.

CAMRA should engage with people by responding to their curiosity and interests, as

well as asking them to support and contribute to specific campaigning activities.

ii. Effective engagement and campaigning. To be effective CAMRA must not only

speak for a large number of members but also demonstrate that it understands the sector in

which it operates, and be viewed as credible by those it seeks to influence. To achieve this:

The Campaign should seek to represent and influence the wider beer, cider and perry-

drinking community, and all people who favour drinking in social settings.

CAMRA should develop and maintain appropriate relationships with commercial

organisations operating in the sector – as well as with government at national and

local level – to enable it to exert greater influence than if operating in isolation.

Our conclusions are explained in detail in this document, with each proposal – marked out in

red text – set in the context of the research that led to it. Many of the sources of the evidence

we have cited are referenced in the footnotes and further details, including definitions of

some of the technical terms used, are provided in the appendices. This paper should be

considered alongside our accompanying paper setting out proposals for a strategic impact

assessment in order to ensure a fully rounded proposition is presented to the membership.

Some of the proposals in this paper cover activities that CAMRA – locally or nationally –

already undertakes. The inclusion of these is not through ignorance of their existence, rather

it is completely intentional and serves to underline the importance attached to CAMRA

recognising what it does well and spreading best practice in a consistent manner across the

Campaign. A summary of our proposals follows, and they are listed in full in Appendix A.

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3. CAMRA’s purpose

What is CAMRA for? We approached this question by looking at several discrete issues in

turn, and considering the way forward which best represents the views of the membership as

well as offering the strongest path towards the achievement of the Campaign’s vision.

a. Real ale

Without CAMRA, real ale might not exist today in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.

For 45 years, the Campaign has been the guardian of real ale – a description of Britain’s

traditional type of beer that CAMRA’s founders established. Members and outside partners

alike have been absolutely clear: this must continue.

While many CAMRA members, and others with an interest in beer, believe real ale has been

saved3, others do not yet feel comfortable enough to agree – and many of those who do will

qualify the statement by saying it has been saved for now4.

Indeed, the picture for real ale is a mixed one.

The volume of cask beer produced in the UK

has collapsed drastically since CAMRA’s

formation but has stabilised since 2010. The

number of small brewers has grown hugely

over the past 14 years (an explosion that can in

part be attributed to the introduction in 2002

and extension in 2004 of Small Brewers’

Relief5), and real ale’s market share of draught

beer sales has experienced sustained growth

over the past decade, having increased from

around one in eight pints to around one in six.

However, this has not been enough to outweigh

the impact of overall declining pub beer sales,

which fell by 19% over the same period.6

Moreover, it is no secret that the largest and most dominant breweries still choose to plough

most of their promotional efforts and marketing expenditure into poor-quality products with

3 Data collected at Revitalisation Project consultation meetings with CAMRA members suggests that 50%

agree with the statement that cask ale has been saved (though it is worth stressing that there were strong

regional differences in opinion). Consultation meetings held with members of the Society of Independent

Brewers, beer writers and parliamentarians with an interest in beer found majority support for this view. 4 In the Revitalisation Project’s consultation meeting with head brewers, attendees stressed that CAMRA must

remain the champion and protector of real ale or there is a risk of real ale disappearing. The view was

expressed that there is a danger to real ale from other dispense developments if cask conditioning doesn't

remain actively supported. 5The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) estimates that that its full members produce 2,993,000 hectolitres

annually. SIBA has close to 800 brewer members, which represent around 7% of UK beer sales. However,

many brewers are very small indeed and operate on the margins of economic viability. For example, one in

four SIBA members has an annual turnover of less than £50,000. Additionally, around 80% of beer sold by SIBA

members is sold within 40 miles of the brewery, indicating the challenges of regional or national distribution. 6 The most recent data for 2015 also presents a contradictory picture. Data sourced from the British Beer and

Pub Association indicates that between May and October 2015 the UK ale market increased its market share

by 0.8%. However, data shared with CAMRA by CGA Strategy for the entirety of 2015 shows a 3.9% fall in

cask ale’s market share.

The Society of Independent

Brewers estimates that its

members produce more than

600 million pints

of beer every year,

representing around 7% of

UK beer sales5

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inferior ingredients but higher profit margins, just as they have for decades. The top five

global brewers share 77% of the UK on-trade beer market, making it heavily concentrated to

the detriment of competition and the ability of smaller brewers to gain market access. Global

brewers have shown themselves to be determined to maintain and increase market share

through consolidation7; the production of new beer brands that appear to be from smaller

brewers8; and takeovers of successful small and medium-sized rivals

9.

Of course, if CAMRA were to disband, real ale would not disappear from pubs and clubs

overnight10

– its campaigning has generated a large customer demand that will sustain the

market for years to come. But the experience of the 1960s and 70s warns us what can happen

over time without an organised consumer group there to keep up the pressure – and there is

no guarantee that, without CAMRA fighting real ale’s corner, a similar situation could not

arise again.

It is also clearly the view of members that in continuing to fight for the availability of cask

beer, the Campaign must not lose sight of the importance of quality11

. This topic is covered in

more detail later in this report but, in a nutshell, CAMRA cannot simply measure its success

by the number of handpumps on bars. The

danger of the real ale market coming to be

known for poor-quality products – whether

that is macro-produced mediocrity, the

inconsistency of the well-meaning

microbrewer, or in the poor cellarmanship of

the uneducated landlord – is one that poses

great risk to the achievement of CAMRA’s

vision.

One specific area in which CAMRA has

often been seen to take a position that

actively undermines the quality of real ale is

in its approach to cask breathers (also known

as aspirators)12

. The literal way in which the

Campaign’s definition of real ale has been

interpreted means that the use of this system

– designed to slow the deterioration of cask

beer in pubs and clubs with low turnover –

will result in an otherwise excellent

establishment selling a superb range of real

ales being excluded from the Good Beer

Guide. This is an interpretation that was

7 For example, the current merger taking place between AB Inbev and SAB Miller. 8 For example, the creation of Blue Moon through a Molson Coors and SAB Miller joint partnership. 9 Examples in recent years include Caledonian (taken over by Heineken); Meantime (taken over by SAB Miller);

Camden Town (taken over by AB Inbev); and Sharp’s (taken over by Molson Coors). 10In our survey of brewers and publicans, 40% of brewers and 60% of publicans said they were selling a greater

proportion of cask-conditioned beer than five years ago. The same survey showed 45% of brewers and 47% of

publicans envisage brewing/selling more cask-conditioned beer in the next five years, even in the light of the

growth of “craft” keg beers. 11 In our consultation meetings, “Driving Beer Quality” emerged as the second most popular opportunity for

CAMRA. 12 See Appendix A for definitions.

From our survey of brewers and

publicans:

“Endorse the use of aspirators to

encourage a wider selection of casks in

more pubs.”

“CAMRA should allow cask breathers in

pub cellars.”

“You still have a bunch of nerds who

ban cask breathers, and who are quite

happy to import keg beers but not

support our own SIBA members who

brew keg beers.”

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never intended when CAMRA’s early leaders set the definition of real ale in the 1970s, and

one that has not helped enhance the Campaign’s reputation in the licensed trade.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should remain the Campaign for Real Ale.

CAMRA should promote the virtues of well-produced, well-kept, cask-

conditioned beer as the pinnacle of the brewer’s craft.

CAMRA should re-assert its definition of real ale and undertake an analysis, led

by an appropriate group under direction of the National Executive, of whether

or not there is cask beer on sale today that fails to meet this definition.

CAMRA should adopt a neutral position on the use of cask breathers.

CAMRA should develop a campaigning strategy for real ale that should both

advocate its consumption and articulate how it is positioned in relation to the

rest of the Campaign’s activity.

b. Cider and perry

The issue of real cider and perry has always been controversial for CAMRA. Since 1988

when the Campaign formally broadened its focus to include these traditional British drinks,

some members have felt the move weakened CAMRA’s ability to promote its original core

aim of safeguarding cask-conditioned ale. Others have come to the view more recently, with

cider having both increased in popularity over recent years13

and benefitted from more

advantageous tax treatment than beer14

, that it would be in the common interest for

CAMRA’s cider and perry campaigners to break away and form their own organisation.

Discussion at member consultation meetings

prompted passionate expressions of views on

this subject with some arguing that cider and

perry campaigning dilutes CAMRA’s core aim

of safeguarding cask-conditioned ale, puts the

Campaign’s identity at risk, and attracts a larger

than appropriate share of funding and staff time

compared with the number of members with a

genuine interest in these drinks.

On the other hand, others have suggested that

both real cider and real ale campaigning can be

stronger together; with a united focus on

driving availability of these quality products. It

has been observed by members that, with cider

particularly popular among young adults and

women15

, its inclusion at festivals is an

important way of increasing the diversity of the

13Overall cider sales have increased by 32% since 2000. In 2015, ONS figures stated that UK manufacturers’

sales of cider (and other fermented beverages) had increased by 58.8% since 2010, to £911.2 million in 2014.

The vast majority of cider and perry produced does not meet CAMRA’s definition of real cider and perry.

There is no data available on the total real cider and perry production volumes in the UK. 14 A 5% ABV cider attracts duty of 22p a pint; a 5% ABV beer (of any type) attracts duty of 52p a pint. 15 http://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/a-refreshing-change-for-first-time-cider-becomes-as-popular-as-

lager-with-brits

From consultation meetings:

“Cider should not be excluded from beer

festivals as it attracts a wider audience,

especially young people.”

“Cider attracts younger female drinkers

to festivals.”

“Cider is growing in popularity and young

people are happy to drink both cider and

perry.”

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Campaign’s membership and image, and exposing more people from those demographics to

real ale.

It has also been noted that, while headline figures for overall cider consumption may look

positive, the growth has to a very large extent been down to the popularity of global brands

that are not in line with CAMRA’s definitions of real cider and perry. With three quarters of

sales now either bottled or in cans, and only one quarter of sales in draught, the availability of

traditional real cider and perry is by no means widespread.

Quantitative evidence from the consultation process found that – despite the vociferous

opposition of some – a clear majority of members believe real cider and perry should remain

within CAMRA’s campaigning remit16

. This view was also strongly expressed by real cider

and perry producers, who felt that separation could prove disastrous for the availability of

their products with too few cider enthusiasts to sustain a successful independent campaigning

organisation17

.

That said, the consultation process did uncover evidence of confusion and perceived

ambiguity around CAMRA’s position on cider and perry and the relationship between

campaigning activity for these drinks and that for real ale.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should campaign for real cider and perry to be more widely available,

alongside real ale, for consumers to enjoy.

CAMRA should develop a campaigning strategy for real cider and perry to

articulate how it is positioned and advocated in relation to the rest of the

Campaign’s activity.

The National Executive should consider the provision of a specific budget for

real cider and perry campaigning.

Furthermore, in the interests of clarity cider and perry should be referred to

explicitly in future CAMRA documents, where reference to these drinks is

intended, and it should no longer be assumed that the term real ale intrinsically

includes them.

c. Other types of beer

The brewing landscape in the British Isles today could hardly be further removed from the

picture in the 1970s. In 1973, there were fewer than 200 breweries in the UK, owned by

fewer than 100 companies, and in the preceding 13 years, two-thirds of Britain’s brewing

companies had been wiped out18

. In contrast, the 2017 Good Beer Guide lists more than

1,700 breweries – many of them small, independent start-ups. Yet these figures do not tell the

full story of what has changed in brewing over that period.

Draught beer available in the 1970s fell into two broad categories: on the one hand,

traditional cask-conditioned ale; on the other keg beer, which was often produced with

inferior ingredients and widely considered to be over-carbonated, lacking in flavour and

16 In the Revitalisation Project’s second survey of members, 73% of respondents indicated that CAMRA should

continue to “provide information about and develop understanding amongst consumers” of real cider and

perry. 17See appendix B for details of consultation activity with external stakeholders. 18 Source: The Death of the English Pub by Christopher Hutt, Arrow Books, 1973, ISBN 0 09 908020 6.

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devoid of character. As a result, cask-

conditioned ale and good beer were perceived –

by the founders of CAMRA and many others –

as essentially the same thing.

Today, this is no longer the case. British

brewing is characterised by innovation and

dynamism – and this manifests itself not only in

the variety of beer styles developed and the

types of ingredients used, but also in methods of

dispense.

There has been a blurring of boundaries. There

is no doubt that, on the market today, there exist

some keg and other non-cask beers that are

high-quality products – brewed with first-class

ingredients, often matured over long periods,

unfiltered and unpasteurised. In some cases, keg

beer contains live yeast and is subject to

secondary fermentation in the container. It is, to

all intents and purposes, real ale up to the point

that carbon dioxide pressure is applied in the

cellar.

Some of these products, by most measures, are

far superior to some of the lower-quality, mass-

produced cask beer common in pubs – some of

which, it is alleged, may be subject to very

minimal, if any, secondary fermentation despite

being marketed as real ale. Yet today, in

accordance with its policies, CAMRA

champions the latter over the former. This

naturally leads to the argument that, in order for

CAMRA to return to its founding, fundamental

purpose – to promote the availability of good

beer over the bad or mediocre – it must revisit

the technical definitions that govern the types of

beer it will support.

Coupled with this is the contradiction under existing CAMRA policies that sees one set of

rules applied to British brewers in return for the Campaign’s support, while a different set of

standards apply to beers from overseas. This inconsistency means a number of independent

and innovative UK brewers are not allowed to exhibit their products at the Great British Beer

Festival, yet hundreds of non-real beers from foreign producers were showcased at Olympia

in 201619

.

19CAMRA’s membership appears to be divided on this issue with the third survey showing that 51% of

members believe “CAMRA should continue to apply different standards to UK and foreign beers” at beer

festivals, while 45% believe “CAMRA should adopt a consistent approach on the standards it sets for UK and

foreign beers”

From consultation meetings:

“We should engage with craft keg beer so

we can have influence on the market and

in ensuring quality.”

“The term craft beer is too ambiguous.”

“Craft beers are seen as more exciting

than real ale.”

From stakeholders:

“Good-quality keg products

are on the increase and that is not going to

change.”

“Craft is unstoppable and seen as

synonymous with quality.”

“CAMRA should be a campaign for beer –

with good-quality real ale as the pinnacle.”

“Stop viewing craft as an enemy, embrace it and motivate people to enjoy the vast

array of wonderful products available.”

“CAMRA are now seen as luddites and

need to support the exciting world of new

wave British Craft Brewers and their steel

or key kegs. It’s not 1975 any more.”

“We love cask beer, with 85% of our sales

being cask, but the margins for cask beer

are much smaller than for keg and can.”

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In the 1970s, CAMRA was able to use its relevance and influence to establish its own

definition for real ale, a term that now appears in dictionaries. Four decades later, with craft

beer now having become a

phrase with similar power to

appeal to consumers in search

of quality, CAMRA has so far

passed up its opportunity to set

any type of standard in this

market20

. Research published

recently by Cask Marque, an

organisation that checks the

quality of cask beer, suggests

that a majority of cask ale

drinkers are more likely to visit

a pub that advertises itself as

serving craft beer21

. Craft is

unquestionably a term that has captivated the discerning drinking public, and younger

members of it in particular. Yet without the influence of an independent consumer

organisation in this space, brewers and pubcos have free rein to determine what makes a beer

craft, leading to it having become a spurious and meaningless term. Not only does this mean

that many beer consumers are being failed, but it also means that CAMRA is, at best,

ignoring and, at worst, alienating one of the most obvious, accessible, growing and youthful

potential audiences for real ale.

In our survey of brewers and publicans, 80%

of brewers and 67% of publicans said they

sold a greater proportion of craft keg beer

than they did five years ago. We asked

publicans where in their view this market

was coming from – customers who would

otherwise drink real ale, standard keg beer, or

other products? The balance of this relatively

new market appears to be coming from

people who would otherwise drink standard

keg beer or other products22

. Among SIBA

members, the keg proportion of their

production more than doubled in 2015 to

5.7%, and 27% of SIBA members are now

selling some craft beer in keg23

.

20CGA Strategy’s assessment is that keg beer marketed as “craft beer” now represents 1.9% of all on-trade

draught beer and that these beers are stocked in around 12% of on-trade venues. This compares to real ale

which is stocked in 52% of venues. 21According to the Cask Report (http://cask-marque.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/cask-report.pdf): “Drinkers

see craft beer as a locally made and traditional product, but also consider it fashionable and trendy, which

indicates its potential for appealing to drinkers of all ages.” The report also states: “90% of consumers say beer

quality is very important or essential when choosing where to drink”. 22 27% said “people who would otherwise drink standard keg beer”, 29% said “people who would otherwise

drink cask-conditioned beer”, 14% said “people who would otherwise drink other products” and 30% said

they did not know. 23 SIBA British Beer Report, March 2016.

http://toolbox.siba.co.uk/documents/Facts%20and%20Figures/SIBAMembersSurvey2016.pdf

From our third survey of CAMRA members:

“We have to change or die. Young people drinking good

quality craft ales is a massive step forward from them

drinking lager. Let's embrace them.”

“CAMRA is stuck in the past and the whole beer revolution

is going to pass us by. We look like a load of old fuddy-

duddies championing real ale irrespective of whether it is

actually good quality.”

Keg beer marketed as “craft

beer” is stocked in around

12% of the UK’s on-trade venues,

while real ale is stocked in

52% of them. Source: CGA Strategy

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While the opinion of CAMRA’s membership is divided, it would appear to be with these

points in mind that a majority of members now believe the time has come for CAMRA to

expand its scope into the area of beers that are otherwise of high quality but which are not

real ale24

. As well as being the majority view among members overall, this is also the

majority view among CAMRA’s most active volunteers.

While strong objections to any change were raised by some during the consultation process –

including the view that craft beer is a Trojan horse developed by large brewers specifically to

eradicate real ale – this type of view appears to be in the minority.

It is important to note, however, that there has been little or no appetite detected for CAMRA

to become a campaign for keg beer or a campaign for all beer. Members believe that

CAMRA must continue to promote real ale as a product that – when produced and kept to the

highest of standards – cannot be bettered by any other type of beer. But members recognise

that CAMRA’s ability to do this will be eroded if the Campaign becomes irrelevant to large

numbers of discerning, but non-expert, beer drinkers – the very consumers it was founded to

represent.

The table on the next page demonstrates that – among members who agree that CAMRA

should recognise different types of high-quality beer, alongside high-quality cask-conditioned

and bottle-conditioned ale – there is support for CAMRA conducting a wide range of activity.

Only the final two potential types of activity did not attract net majority support.

24 In the Revitalisation Project’s second survey of members, 64% of respondents indicated that CAMRA should

“provide information about and develop understanding among consumers” of high-quality beers which do not

meet the definition of real ale, while 56% of respondents indicated that CAMRA should “actively campaign for

the production, supply and consumption” of such drinks.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Daily

Weekly

Once a month

Every 2-3 months

2-3 times a year or less often

Never

Membership response in our second survey to the suggestion that

"CAMRA should provide information about and develop understanding among consumers (including CAMRA members) of other high-quality beers"

broken down by the amount of time members spend volunt

Strongly agree / strongly in

favour

Agree / in favour

Neutral / neither in favour or

against

Disagree / not in favour

Strongly disagree / totally

against

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What do you think extending the range of beer types which CAMRA recognises should

mean in practice?25

Yes (%) Don't know/

undecided (%)

No

(%)

Inform and educate members about the different

types of beer available to drinkers, so that they can

understand the distinction between real ale and

beers of other types 98 1 1

Provide support and education for the trade to offer

quality beer at its highest standard 96 2 1

Conduct activity to highlight the positives of those

products we choose to campaign for 94 5 2

Conduct activity designed to lead people to discover

the comparative excellence of real ale, cider and

perry 93 4 3

Educate members and non-members about the

different dispense and types of beer, including real

ale, while applying our collective assessment

(perhaps through beer judging and competitions) of

which are the best types of beers 88 6 6

Conduct activity to create an economic and/or

political landscape which encourages the production

and consumption of the products we choose to

campaign for 87 8 5

Conduct activity to persuade publicans to stock the

products we choose to campaign for, alongside other

options 86 8 6

Include all beer types and dispense in our training

and educational material 64 13 22

Include high-quality non-real ales in our tasting

sessions 60 15 25

Hold competitions to select the best beers of

different types, including non-real ales 60 14 27

Feature high-quality non-real ales at our events and

festivals 58 15 27

Inform and educate members and non-members

about the different dispense and types of beers,

including real ale without making any subjective

assessment about the quality of these beers 49 13 38

Allow brewers to advertise non-real ales in our

publications 37 23 40

25Sample: those who, in the third member survey, answered “yes” to “Do you agree that CAMRA should

recognise different types of high-quality beer, alongside high-quality cask conditioned and bottle conditioned

ale?”

Page 15

Widening CAMRA’s scope beyond real ale, cider and perry need not – and must not – dilute

the Campaign’s essential purpose, rather it should enhance it. Indeed, many members feel

that a more accommodating approach to other beers will create a gateway to encourage more

consumers into real ale; that by encouraging more beer drinkers to develop their appreciation

of and ability to discriminate between different types and styles of beer, the popularity of real

ale can only be enhanced.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should seek to promote awareness and understanding of the different

factors that contribute to beer quality, to help consumers make an informed

judgement about the relative merits of different types of beer. It should do this

while advocating and promoting well-produced, well-kept cask-conditioned ale

as the pinnacle of the brewer's craft and campaigning for traditional British beer

styles to be safeguarded and celebrated.

In practice, this means that CAMRA should:

o Permit the stocking of British beers that do not meet the definition of real

ale at CAMRA beer festivals.

o Display educational material alongside other beer types, explaining how

these differ from real ale. This should also apply to foreign beers.

o Ensure the layout of festivals and literature associated with them

reinforces CAMRA’s belief in the superiority of cask-conditioned ale.

o Widen the types of beer available at the Great British Beer Festival, upon

adoption of this recommendation.

o Inform and educate members, other consumers and the trade about good

beers of all types, while highlighting the comparative excellence of real

ale.

d. Pubs and clubs

Almost from the beginning, CAMRA’s

campaigning has been two-pronged: one

focussed on what people drink; the other on

where they drink it. Whether those prongs are

of appropriate relative size is a relevant

question in the context of today’s beer and pub

market, which, in some respects, represents a

180 degree reversal of the situation in the early

1970s. Then, while good-quality beer was

under threat, pubs had a solid and loyal

customer base and were largely owned by

breweries that had an interest in keeping them

open as the primary outlet in which to sell their

products26

. Today, while real ale is much more

readily available and we have a much more

vibrant and exciting beer landscape, pubs and

clubs continue to decline at a rapid rate.

Between 2008 and 2015 the number of pubs in

26 In 1973, the Big Six breweries (Allied; Bass Charrington; Courage; Scottish & Newcastle; Watneys;

Whitbread) controlled 56% of all pubs. Source: The Death of the English Pub by Christopher Hutt, Arrow

Books, 1973, ISBN 0 09 908020 6.

Between 2008 and 2015, the

number of public houses in

Great Britain fell by

15%

Page 16

Great Britain fell by 15%. In the past five years

the number of pubs has reduced by 5,00027

. Pub

attendance is also in decline, the two most cited

reasons for which are reductions in disposable

income and a view that pubs are too expensive28

.

The reasons for the decline in pub numbers are

many – including a much larger differential

between on-trade and off-trade prices; increases

in property values creating incentives for pub

owners (most of whom now don’t produce their

own beer) to sell off pubs for other uses; and

perhaps a failure of some venues to keep up with

changing consumer preferences. The balance of

CAMRA’s campaigning activity has therefore

shifted in recent years to focus on these threats.

This significant change in context is recognised

by CAMRA members who realise that –

regardless of how many breweries there are

producing excellent cask-conditioned beer – if a

community’s pub or social club closes there may

be nowhere for local people to drink it on a

regular basis. Comments made during the

Revitalisation Project’s consultation meetings

have suggested that newer CAMRA members

are much more likely to have been inspired to

join by pub campaigning, and that many longer-standing members who initially joined purely

to campaign for real ale now cite campaigning for pubs and/or clubs as their main reason for

remaining a member or staying active.

CAMRA members also continue to believe

strongly in the social, health and well-being

benefits of community pubs and social clubs

highlighted in the January 2016 report by

Professor Robin Dunbar, Friends on Tap29

.

And in the initial survey of members, almost a

quarter (24%) of respondents said CAMRA

should represent all pub-goers regardless of

what they drink.

In our second survey of members, it was clear

that supporting and campaigning for

consumption and sale in pubs (99.7%) and

clubs (87.6%) should remain central to

CAMRA’s activity.

27 Source: CGA Strategy 28 Source: YouGov, CAMRA Omnibus Tracking Survey (July 2015) 29http://www.camra.org.uk/documents/10180/36197/Friends+on+Tap/2c68585b-e47d-42ca-bda6-5d6b3e4c0110

The Friends on Tap report by

Professor Robin Dunbar found that

people who regularly use a ‘local’ pub:

have more close friends on whom

they can call for support

are happier and more trusting of

others

feel more engaged with their wider

community

Recent pubs campaigning successes:

Secured the Licensing Act (2003),

giving licensees in England & Wales

more flexibility in their opening

hours

Introduction of a Pubs Code &

Adjudicator (England & Wales) to

provide increased rights for

tenants of large pubcos and ensure

fair play

Government support for

communities to have the right to

bid for pubs put up for sale

(England)

Planning protection for pubs listed as Assets of Community Value

(England)

Page 17

To summarise, then, the campaign to protect valued pubs is as important now as it ever was.

Pubs remain at the heart of our communities, our culture and our heritage and CAMRA must

continue to campaign to support and protect them.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should celebrate well run community pubs and clubs as unique British

institutions capable of delivering vast social benefits and should, as a priority,

battle to arrest the decline in their numbers.

CAMRA should develop a campaigning strategy for pubs that should articulate

how this work is positioned and advocated in relation to other activity.

e. Other on-trade outlets

There is, however, recognition that the local pub

is not the first choice for everyone who wants to

enjoy good beer. Alongside the need to support

pubs and clubs, there is also strong support

among members to broaden the Campaign’s

focus to encourage the availability and

consumption of real ale, cider and perry in a

wider range of on-trade outlets30

.

Branded food pubs and what are known in the

industry as cafe wine bars have significantly

outperformed the wider pub market in recent

years, registering growth rates in excess of

20%31

. Beer volumes sold through these outlets

are substantial and many CAMRA branches

already work with and recognise such

establishments. But community pubs and clubs

are increasingly also facing strong competition

from coffee shops and restaurants as popular

venues for socialising with friends and family.

The turnover in the UK restaurant sector is up

39% since 2010, growing from £15.5bn to

£21.6bn in 2014. This growth is in direct

correlation with the closure of pubs. While 21,000 wet-led or drink-focussed outlets have

closed in the past ten years, 8,600 food-focussed venues have opened32

.

While it is apparent from feedback at consultation meetings that some branches already do

encourage venues far more diverse than the traditional pub or social club to stock good-

quality real ale, cider and perry, there is clearly no consistent approach across the Campaign.

30Our third survey of members sought reaction to the statement: "Consumer drinking habits have changed.

Supporting all on-licensed venues, not just pubs, would benefit the entire beer industry including real ale, cider

and perry producers”. 73% agreed, 18% were neutral and only 9% disagreed. 31CGA Strategy, the provider of this data, characterise a branded food pub as a pub with significant food sales

with uniform branding and menus. CGA characterise cafe wine bars as modern pubs/bars with a sales mix of

premium beer, wine and spirits located in town or city centres. 32 Source: CGA Strategy.

From our third survey of CAMRA

members:

“The world has changed. People would

like to drink beer in public venues other

than pubs and in a variety of social

situations.”

“I really need CAMRA to break the

monopoly of drinks providers at gig

venues. For many members, live music is

as big a passion as beer and the choice

and value on offer, particularly at larger

events, is utterly dire. These events have

thousands of captive thirsty punters.

CAMRA should have a strong presence in

this area.”

“I am happy for cafe bars etc to be

recognised by CAMRA if they sell real ale

or real ciders.”

Page 18

It should be noted that members have expressed some concern that promotion of real ale in

other on-trade outlets could have a knock-on effect on the viability of pubs and social clubs33

.

This must be borne in mind in all future campaigning activity34

.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

The special position held by pubs and clubs in community life, and their

paramount importance at the heart of CAMRA’s objectives, should be

upheld.

CAMRA should seek to improve the range and quality of beer available in all

on-trade venues, and encourage the provision of high-quality real ale (and/or

cider and perry).

f. The off-trade

CAMRA currently champions drinking in communal settings but it is clear that increasing

numbers of people are choosing to drink at home or in the homes of their friends35

. As such,

the Revitalisation Project has considered whether the Campaign should broaden its activity to

include the promotion of real ale in the off-trade – for example by working with off licences

and supermarkets to promote bottle-conditioned beer – beyond the limited role it currently

plays, such as lending its CAMRA says this is real ale logo to the labels of qualifying

products.

The view of external stakeholders is largely in favour of CAMRA pursuing this route. For

example, some brewers have suggested the Campaign has failed consumers by neglecting to

help them choose between good beer and bad in the off-trade. Meanwhile some

parliamentarians told the Project that by focussing solely on the on-trade the Campaign risked

alienating people who, for family or other reasons, were unable to visit pubs very often.

In contrast, CAMRA’s membership continues to be sceptical about the merits of promoting

off-sales36

. Members believe the availability of beer from supermarkets at highly competitive

prices (sometimes as loss-leaders) is one of the foremost threats to the existence of

community pubs and clubs, with some expressing the strident view that the Campaign should

“wage war” on cheap supermarket alcohol or lobby for minimum pricing legislation in the

off-trade37

. It is also recognised that CAMRA’s promotion of moderate drinking in regulated,

communal settings – in public houses rather than on park benches – makes its claim to stand

for responsible drinking much more straightforward to defend.

33Our third survey of members sought reaction to the statement: "Community pubs are under threat and

widening the venues we seek to influence could put pubs further at risk." 38% agreed, 33% were neutral and

29% disagreed. 34Our second survey of members showed 80% in favour of CAMRA encouraging availability and consumption

of drinks it supports in sporting and event venues and 75% in favour for a wider on-trade. 35There has been a decline in on-trade sales of beer while off-trade sales steadily rise. In 2014, off-trade sales of

beer overtook on-trade sales for the first time and in 2015 off-trade sales were 51%, on-trade 49% (Source

BBPA Statistical Handbook 2016 p14) 36 In the Revitalisation Project’s second survey of members, only 42% of respondents agreed that CAMRA

should support and campaign for consumption and sale in the off-trade. 37 CAMRA holds a neutral position on minimum unit pricing, since a conference motion was passed in 2013.

The Campaign had previously campaigned in favour of minimum unit pricing.

Page 19

On balance, the Revitalisation Project has reached the conclusion that increasing support for

off sales would be untenable given the limited support of members for this, contrasted with

the overwhelming support for pubs and clubs that could suffer as a result of any such change.

Furthermore, there are questions to be asked about CAMRA’s existing limited support for the

off-trade, whether this remains appropriate and whether there is a contradiction between

existing commercial and campaigning strategies.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should champion the drinking of real ale in communal settings and

should not increase its support for the off-trade.

Within this overarching direction, CAMRA’s National Executive should review

the Campaign’s strategic position with regard to the off-trade, both in

commercial and campaigning terms.

g. The arbiter of quality

Throughout the consultation process, members identified the opportunity for CAMRA to re-

focus on the issue of quality – not just on the quality of beer, as was the Campaign’s founding

purpose, but also on the quality of pubs. Who better than the foremost consumer organisation

representing beer drinkers, many members have asked, to be the arbiter of quality in both of

these fields?

Suggestions made by members throughout the consultation process include CAMRA

developing a classification scheme for good beer; producing guidelines for what makes a

good pub or club; and being more active in criticising poor-quality cask beer, even that which

otherwise meets CAMRA’s definition of real ale (part of our response to this latter

suggestion is captured in the earlier recommendation under the heading of Real ale).

Of course, CAMRA already has a large presence in this area: it publishes the Good Beer

Guide, the UK’s biggest-selling guide to pubs; it maintains the WhatPub website, a

comprehensive directory of every known public house in the country; as well as running pub

and beer competitions at branch, regional and national levels. Yet many members and others

outside the Campaign have suggested that CAMRA could be doing more to develop

discerning drinkers, promote excellence in brewing, and encourage pubs and clubs to be well-

run.

It is also the case that CAMRA’s existing awards and guides have been criticised as

inconsistent. For example, head brewers who took part in a consultation meeting as part of

the Revitalisation Project described the Champion Beer of Britain award as opaque38

and

outlined what they saw as a widespread perception among the brewing industry of dodgy

practices. This allegation is one that CAMRA would, of course, reject, but such a perception

is something the Campaign must take very seriously indeed.

38 See appendix B for details of consultation activity with external stakeholders.

Page 20

There is also a view from some that the Campaign has

become unreasonably prejudiced against larger

brewers and pub operators – for example, it has been

suggested that certain branches favour microbreweries

and independent pubs over more established

competitors. Members of the British Beer and Pub

Association (BBPA) who took part in a consultation

meeting as part of the Revitalisation Project expressed

a concern that, because the Champion Beer of Britain

award has increasingly been won by microbrewers

who are then unable to supply enough beer to meet

subsequent demand, the competition has lost much of

its relevance and influence both to consumers and the

industry. While the commercial interests of BBPA

members means that this criticism cannot necessarily

be taken at face value, it does nevertheless merit

further analysis. Meanwhile, beer writers whom the

Revitalisation Project consulted described the

competition’s existing categories as out of date and in

need of revision.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should establish a committee

composed of CAMRA members connected

with the brewing industry and licensed

trade. The committee should be charged

with considering ways in which the

Campaign can enhance and develop its

reputation as the principal and most

credible arbiter of quality in beer and pubs.

It should take into account existing

practices around the Good Beer Guide,

WhatPub, and the Champion Beer of

Britain and Pub of the Year competitions to

ensure consistency and integrity

throughout, as well as considering new

opportunities, and should make

recommendations to the National Executive.

The National Executive, advised by the

Stakeholder Committee, should consider the option of CAMRA launching a

quality mark (along the lines of the CAMRA says this is real ale badge for bottle-

conditioned beer) to be applied more widely to the products or outlets, or both,

that the Campaign supports.

h. Education and information

Among a number of opportunities for CAMRA identified by the Revitalisation Project, one

that was received particularly enthusiastically by members and representatives of external

bodies was the prospect of CAMRA doing more to educate and inform people about beer –

including ingredients, process and dispense methods. Polling results show that members

From our survey of brewers

and publicans:

“Do not use regional CAMRA branches

to decide on inclusion into guides, as

their opinions are always biased; use

schemes such as Cask Marque and

customer feedback instead.”

“Recognise small towns – we have

coverage of three branches, and

although several very good pubs and

bars, no accreditation of Locale, GBG,

or any other accreditation to raise the

profile of British-made beer.”

“It would be nice to be included in the

CAMRA beer guide but as we do not

put your posters up it seems we don’t

get a mention.”

“The favoured pubs win all the

awards.”

“You had to have mild for sale or you

did not get in the Good Beer Guide.”

“The published guide was a list of pubs

with hand-pulls, but no guarantee of

the quality of the beer.”

“Lack of support – in Good Beer Guide

for over 14 years then dropped, no

reason given. Voting for the best pubs

is done by the few not the many.”

Page 21

believe expanding education activities to be a key

opportunity for CAMRA39

, with the potential

campaigning benefit coming alongside new financial

returns that could be ploughed back into other

campaigns. The Steering Committee therefore believes

the provision of education and information should be

core to CAMRA’s membership offering. This should

include providing all members with ready access to

information about beer types and styles, their methods

of production and dispense.

Examples of activity CAMRA could undertake in this

space include launching publications that exist purely

to educate the general public or pub-goers without any

wider campaigning aim; more effectively using beer

festivals as an opportunity to provide information

about the products served; and offering courses or

other methods of training to members of the licensed

trade to encourage them to stock and keep well a

variety of the drinks the

Campaign supports.

This latter example

could fit well with

moves, outlined earlier,

to establish CAMRA as

the principal arbiter of

quality standards in the

industry.

There is research40

that

shows that there are

significant generational

differences between the over-50s and under-50s, in terms of

people’s propensity to engage with membership organisations

in traditional ways. For example, while people under 50 are

much less likely to join committees, they are much more

likely to respond positively to membership benefits and the

opportunity to acquire new knowledge and information. The

Campaign should bear this in mind and seek to engage with

these relatively young members more effectively, including

through digital and social media. The Steering Committee

believes that developing the Campaign’s offer in terms of the

provision of information could play a critical role in this.

It is important that CAMRA remains relevant by catering for

this growing demand for the provision of information.

39 In consultation meetings with members, educating about beer was highlighted as one of the top three

opportunities for the Campaign. 40 See, for instance, https://www.greatexpectation.com.au/crm/media/presenter/3087/moore_belinda_-_article_-

_membership_is_dead.pdf

From our survey of brewers

and publicans:

“There are many ways CAMRA can

help the sale of cask. Offering

training for pubs is a great idea.”

“Encourage brewers to be more informative about their beers, both in

tasting notes and information on

their pump clips.”

“Educate people more about cask-

conditioned ale – publicans,

customers, brewers and CAMRA

members.”

“CAMRA needs to spend more time

and effort educating its members

about the different types of beer

before it starts to educate the wider

public. Many of its members at local

level are clueless when it comes to

beer quality and the real difference

between what's real beer and what is

not.”

“Teach people about good beer. No

matter what package it comes in.”

Why does CAMRA

need to become more

appealing to younger people?

Difficulties retaining

young members – in

2015, 5.4% of

members joining were

under 26. However

this represents just

1.6% of the

membership as a

whole

Average age of members is rising

year on year. In 2011

the average age of

members was 49, in

2015 this rose to 53.5

More than a third of

the membership is

over 60

Page 22

CAMRA should enable members to find information whenever and however they want it:

most obviously in a digital format. That approach would drive loyalty and encourage these

members to get involved by sharing their own knowledge and opinions.

Many members also believe CAMRA could do more to identify non-real ale drinkers with an

interest in good beer who could be guided through a journey of discovery. Comments to this

effect were often made in

conjunction with

expressions of support for

CAMRA widening the

types of beer it

recognises, in order more

readily to identify

discerning beer drinkers

who haven’t yet

discovered real ale, as

well as encourage

consumers of other drinks

to begin a beer journey

that may ultimately lead

them to real ale.

It should be noted that work is already ongoing in this area, with CAMRA’s Membership

Committee leading a project to develop the Beer Drinker’s Journey – a redefinition of the

Campaign’s membership proposition, the principles of which have already been agreed by

the National Executive.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

Educating and informing its members, the trade and the wider public about beer

should be core to CAMRA’s campaigning approach and this should be reflected

in its publications, communications and marketing activities. This principle

should be at the heart of CAMRA’s ethos and campaigning activity at branch,

regional and national levels.

The Membership Committee’s development of the Beer Drinker’s Journey should

underpin a shift in emphasis, resulting in a more pro-active approach to

developing knowledge and understanding of real ale and pubs/clubs.

CAMRA should explore commercial options for developing a training arm –

either independently or in partnership with established operators – to offer a

range of courses.

i. Challenging the anti-alcohol lobby

Among identified threats to CAMRA’s future campaigning success, the stand-out issue for

members was the growth of the anti-alcohol lobby and its influence on public health

guidelines, as well as legislation on issues such as drink-driving.

Recorded UK alcohol consumption per head of population peaked in 2004. Between 2004

and 2014, consumption per head fell by 19%. The continuing growth in the UK population

has only partially offset this, with a fall of 13% in the total volume of alcohol consumed in

the UK over the same period.

What is the Beer Drinker’s Journey?

The Beer Drinker’s Journey is a framework that identifies the key stages of engagement with potential and existing

members. This helps CAMRA to consider the touch-points

(a point of contact or interaction with a customer) where

the audience might be in their journey, and effectively

marrying up an audience with messages to drive further

engagement with the CAMRA brand. The Beer Drinker’s

Journey concept can be applied to drive discerning good beer

drinkers to discover real ale through awareness and

education.

Page 23

The Chief Medical Officers’ latest alcohol guidelines41

state that men and women should not

drink more than 14 units in a week (the equivalent of six pints of 4% ABV beer) and that this

should be consumed over three or more days. The CMOs also stated that there was no safe

level of alcohol consumption42

, a statement that is in contradiction with international

scientific evidence suggesting that people who drink alcohol moderately are likely to have

longer life expectancy than non-drinkers43

.

In December 2014, the Scottish Government

reduced the drink-driving limit to 50 milligrams of

alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood and the breath-

alcohol equivalent to 22 micrograms of alcohol per

100 millilitres of breath. While the UK Government

has stated that it has no current plans to replicate

this in other parts of the country, there is no

shortage of campaign groups lobbying it to do so,

regardless of the devastating potential impact on

rural community pubs44

.

Against this there is currently an absence of a prominent credible voice representing people

who choose to drink beer responsibly in pubs and clubs, or indeed moderate drinkers of any

type. Large numbers of members have expressed a belief that CAMRA could fill this void to

some degree and should be at the forefront of promoting an alternative to the anti-alcohol

lobby viewpoint. Comments on this issue have included the fear that consumption of alcohol

will follow smoking in becoming a pariah in society; the suggestion that CAMRA needs to

help expose links that exist between the anti-alcohol lobby and the temperance movement45

;

and a demand that the Campaign launches its own rival to initiatives such as Alcohol

Concern’s ‘Dry January’. In external consultation meetings both small brewers and cider

producers also called strongly for CAMRA to make tackling the anti-alcohol lobby a priority.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should be at the forefront of challenging the anti-alcohol lobby and

promoting the benefits of responsible, social drinking in the on-trade.

CAMRA should identify and develop credible spokespeople and seek out media

opportunities to challenge attacks on moderate alcohol consumption.

CAMRA should commission research to assist in the presentation of a credible

alternative narrative to the messages emanating from the anti-alcohol and public

health lobbies.

CAMRA should explore the possibility of creating a wider independent

campaign, dedicated to supporting the rights of responsible drinkers across the

board on this issue, while retaining the Campaign’s focus on responsible

drinking of beer and cider in pubs and clubs.

41http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/01January/Pages/New-alcohol-advice-issued.aspx 42 This statement was removed from the final guidance. 43https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/198/8/j-curve-revisited-cardiovascular-benefits-moderate-alcohol-use-cannot-be 44http://www.brake.org.uk/media-centre/1546-government-must-learn-from-scottish-drink-drive-laws-and-cut-limit-in-

england-and-wales-to-save-lives 45http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/523574/Boffin-safe-drinking-guidelines-alcohol-temperance-movement

From our third survey of

CAMRA members:

“I would like to see a more aggressive

approach in tackling the anti-alcohol

lobby and individuals such as the Chief

Medical Officer.”

Page 24

4. CAMRA’s positioning, vision, mission and strategy

a. Summary of proposals

The Revitalisation Project recommends that the top-level statements about the Campaign’s

positioning and purpose, principal aims and activities, contained in the current five-year

strategy should be revised to reflect the findings of the strategic review.

Statement Current statement in the

2013- 2018 Strategy

Proposed new statement

Positioning CAMRA is the not-for-profit

independent voice of real ale

drinkers and pub-goers

CAMRA should remain not-

for-profit, independent and free

of party political affiliation.

CAMRA should seek to form

partnerships and alliances with

other organisations when their

aims and objectives support or

coincide with specific

campaigns

CAMRA should explicitly

promote and market itself as a

campaigning organisation that

represents the interests of all

pub and club-goers, not just the

specific interests of its

members.

Vision To have quality real ale and

thriving pubs in every

community

No change

Mission To act as the voice of real ale

drinkers and pub-goers

To act as the voice of pub and

club-goers, in particular those

who drink real ale, cider and

perry; to play a leading role in

informing and representing

everyone with an interest in

good beer of any type; and to

promote the benefits of

responsible social drinking.

Strategic objectives Strategic directions:

1. Increase the popularity

of real ale

2. Secure a thriving pub

sector.

Strategic aims or key

campaigns:

1. Increase the popularity and

quality of real ale, and improve

its provision by brewers and

retailers.

2. Recruit and retain increasing

numbers of beer, cider and

perry drinkers – and pub/club-

goers in general – as members

Page 25

Stop tax killing beer

and pubs

Secure an effective

Government support

package for pubs

Encourage more people

to try a range of real

ales (and ciders and

perries)

Raise the profile of

pub-going and increase

the number of people

using pubs regularly

Develop as an

organisation to enable

us to achieve our goals

and activists.

3. Maintain pubs and clubs as

cornerstones of communities

across the UK, while seeking to

improve the range and quality

of beer, cider and perry across

the on-trade as a whole.

4. Position CAMRA as the

representative of and

spokesman for all UK beer,

cider and perry drinkers and

pub/club-goers.

5. Provide education and

information for CAMRA

members, the trade and the

wider public about beer, cider

and perry.

6. Enshrine CAMRA’s future

purpose within a revised

constitutional and

organisational structure.

Values Enthusiastic

Independent

Knowledgeable

Passionate

Principled

Retain existing and add:

Welcoming

Inclusive

Diverse

Sociable

Fun

b. Positioning

CAMRA’s status as a not-for-profit organisation that represents the interests of real ale, cider

and perry drinkers (and, to some extent, the wider pub-going community) is recognised as

one of the organisation’s key strengths. The fact CAMRA does this without any commercial

profit motive and free of any party political affiliation is also widely valued. As such,

members have been clear that CAMRA’s independence should continue to be vigorously

defended.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should remain not-for-profit, independent and free of party political

affiliation.

CAMRA acts, and should continue to act, as the voice of consumers. This is exemplified by

its position as a “super-complainant” body – a status it has used to defend consumer interests,

for example with a super-complaint to the Office of Fair Trading calling for reform of pub

companies to deliver a fair deal for consumers. CAMRA’s super-complainant status makes it

unique within the sector, lending it authority as an accredited consumer voice, both with the

industry and with government.

Page 26

There has been widespread acknowledgement throughout the consultation process of the need

for the Campaign, in representing the best interests of its members and other consumers, to

work in partnership with the people who produce the drinks we champion and the venues we

promote. That said, there have also been concerns strongly expressed that any partnerships or

working relationships forged by CAMRA must never come at the expense of the Campaign’s

total independence and consumer focus. This is therefore an area in which the Campaign

must continue to tread carefully46

.

While CAMRA is unlikely to see eye to eye with many pub companies and brewers on some

matters, it is an inescapable fact that we have a common interest in seeking a thriving pub

market. It is improbable that our successful campaign to scrap the hated Beer Duty Escalator

could have succeeded without close collaboration with brewers both large and small, pub

operators and other parties from across the industry. However, this has not prevented us from

campaigning on the opposite side to the pubcos when it comes to fighting for a fair deal for

tied licensees, a more responsible attitude to pub disposals and on other matters.

Many members see no reason why CAMRA shouldn’t work with other organisations when

doing so can benefit campaigning. CAMRA has a power to bring together many parties with

some common interests. Cognisant of the risks that exist, which must be guarded against, this

is seen as a major strength and an opportunity upon which to build.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should seek to form partnerships and alliances with other organisations

when their aims and objectives support or coincide with specific campaigns

CAMRA should continue to oppose other organisations when their actions or

intentions go against the interests of beer, cider and perry drinkers and, more

widely, those people who choose to drink in public social settings.

There is a large body of opinion within the membership

that believes that in addition to representing its

members, CAMRA should seek to some extent to

represent all beer, cider and perry drinkers or even all

pub/club-goers, regardless of what they drink47

. It goes

without saying that these groups share many common

interests and that, as the foremost organisation fighting

pub closures, CAMRA already achieves this. Indeed

CAMRA’s current mission statement refers to acting as

the voice of pub-goers.

However, the Campaign has often appeared to do this

as a side effect rather than as an explicit aim, meaning

that the significant advantages that CAMRA could reap

in its lobbying activities by claiming to voice the

concerns of a considerably larger group of people

46Our third member survey sought reaction to the following statement: "CAMRA could seek and develop

partnerships with a wider range of commercial organisations in the drinks and hospitality sector". 12% said

they would be more likely to remain a CAMRA member, 24% less likely and 64% no change. 6% would be

more likely to be active in CAMRA, 19% less likely and 75% no change. 47 See Revitalisation Project stage one survey results: https://revitalisation.camra.org.uk/blog/revitalisation-project-

stage-one-survey-results

52% of all adults visit a pub

for leisure purposes

once a month or more

frequently

Page 27

invariably go unexploited. While having more than 180,000 members behind it gives

CAMRA a great deal of influence, one recent study suggests that 52% of all adults visit a pub

for leisure purposes once a month or more frequently – a massive demographic in

comparison48

.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

CAMRA should explicitly promote and market itself as a campaigning

organisation that represents the interests of all pub and club-goers, not just the

specific interests of its members.

The introduction of a pub supporter category – an affiliate membership at a

much lower or even zero cost, without the benefits of full membership –- should

be actively considered, to enable people to express their public support for

CAMRA’s pub campaigning.

c. Vision

CAMRA’s vision exists to summarise the Campaign’s collective ambition for the future.

Currently it is expressed as to have quality real ale and thriving pubs in every community.

While the Revitalisation Project’s proposals include a number of changes to the

way CAMRA conducts its campaigning activities, all of these fit within and

support the existing vision. As such, no change is proposed.

As outlined earlier in this report, it is recommended that a committee be

established to consider a strategy for cider and perry campaigning. This

committee may wish to consider whether

explicit references to real cider and perry

should be added to the vision in due course.

d. Mission statement

In contrast to the vision, which outlines the picture of a

successful future, the Campaign’s mission statement

outlines what it seeks to do now. CAMRA’s current

mission is to act as the voice of real ale drinkers and pub-

goers.

While the Revitalisation Project has found no evidence to

question this mission as far as it goes, it is notable that it

appears far less wide-ranging or ambitious than where

many members believe the organisation should be

positioned.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals, CAMRA’s mission statement should be

revised as follows:

To act as the voice of pub and club-goers, in particular those who drink real ale,

cider and perry; to play a leading role in informing and representing everyone with

an interest in good beer of any type; and to promote the benefits of responsible

social drinking.

48 Source: YouGov, CAMRA Omnibus Tracking Survey (July 2016)

From our first survey of

CAMRA members:

“If the Campaign is to have any

relevance moving forward into the

future, its mission must change,

its membership must adapt,

evolve and renew itself. Without

this happening CAMRA will not

be an organisation with a vision,

mission or organisation with any

future value.”

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e. Strategy

CAMRA’s current five-year plan makes reference to two strategic directions:

increase the popularity of real ale;

secure a thriving pub sector.

Within these, it also sets out the following strategic aims or key campaigns:

stop tax killing beer and pubs;

secure an effective government support package for pubs;

encourage more people to try a range of real ales (ciders and perries);

raise the profile of pub-going and increase the number of people using pubs regularly;

develop as an organisation to enable us to achieve our goals.

The widening of CAMRA’s range and reach necessitates a redefinition of these objectives

and a restatement of how they should be pursued.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals, CAMRA's strategic objectives should be

redefined as follows, in place of the current strategic directions and key campaigns:

1. Increase the popularity and quality of real ale, and improve its provision by

brewers and retailers.

2. Recruit and retain increasing numbers of beer, cider and perry drinkers – and

pub/club-goers in general – as members and activists.

3. Maintain pubs and clubs as cornerstones of communities across the UK, while

seeking to improve the range and quality of beer, cider and perry across the on-

trade as a whole.

4. Position CAMRA as the representative of and spokesman for all UK beer, cider

and perry drinkers and pub/club-goers.

5. Provide education and information for CAMRA members, the trade and the

wider public about beer, cider and perry.

6. Enshrine CAMRA’s future purpose within a revised constitutional and

organisational structure.

f. Activities

It is recommended that campaigning activity is conducted in three categories, all inter-related

and each of equal importance:

i. Member motivation and development. Greater importance should be given to

engaging members and developing their interest, to the point where they become active,

credible and effective advocates and lobbyists. The principal medium for this should be

determined by the interests of those individuals rather than the wishes of the Campaign.

Acknowledgement of the preferences and aspirations of members should be given greater

prominence when planning activities, with the provision of information to enable learning

and understanding about beer and pubs at the forefront of activities, which might include:

development of the CAMRA website as an authoritative source of information

about brewing, cider and perry production, and the running of on-trade

establishments;

expansion of other digital assets to enable members to access more extensive

information on beer and pubs/clubs from their mobile devices;

Page 29

publication of an increased amount of information about developments and

innovations in the brewing and on-trade industries;

frequent events run at branch level to develop knowledge of different types and

styles of beer, cider and perry;

the training of experts, in conjunction with commercial partners, who can then

spread their knowledge among other members.

ii. Advocacy and promotion. CAMRA, in seeking to maintain the availability of real

ale, cider and perry and the continued existence of pubs and clubs, must encourage both

members and non-members to appreciate those drinks and to frequent public social

drinking establishments. To do this, we should:

seek to influence the quality of products, the manner in which they are dispensed

to customers and the venues in which they are served;

run competitions that provide the opportunity to showcase and promote quality

and, in awarding accolades, to explain the reasons why CAMRA recognises some

products and venues above others;

work with breweries, publicans and representative trade bodies to run promotions

that encourage customers to drink real ale, cider and perry and frequent pubs and

clubs;

promote real ale, cider and perry, pubs and clubs in particular and the on-trade as

a whole, through the production of books and other media.

iii. Lobbying. In seeking to influence national and local government, as well as

commercial organisations operating within the beer and pubs sector, CAMRA should:

speak from a position of authority, derived from its representation of a large

number of consumers and its knowledge – both of their opinions and those of

other organisations operating within the sector;

adopt common policy positions that are then applied consistently across the

Campaign;

develop relationships that enable influence to be applied before decisions are

made, rather than relying upon activity that seeks to change decisions.

g. Articles of Association

The Steering Committee believes that the recommendations included in this paper, if

accepted, are significant enough to require them to be embodied in a redrafting of CAMRA’s

constitution.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals, the Articles of Association should be

amended to incorporate the outcomes of this review.

Amendments to the Articles will also provide an opportunity (which in our view is crucial)

for the membership as a whole to vote on proposed changes to CAMRA’s purpose and

positioning. In addition, amendments to the Articles can provide for the first time formal

recognition that CAMRA supports real cider and perry as well as real ale.

5. Our values

Page 30

The behaviour of CAMRA members in their dealings with one another and externally was

not something the Revitalisation Project Steering Committee was originally intending to

consider. However, in meetings and surveys it became apparent that there was a strong body

of feeling both within and outside CAMRA that this could have a major impact on the

Campaign’s position and reputation.

The consultation has found evidence of a widespread belief that the Campaign is poorly

represented by some members whose behaviour has been described variously as

unwelcoming, ignorant, opinionated, exclusive and other words to similar effect. In our third

survey we asked members to identify both positive and negative values that described

CAMRA as it exists today:

What values (positive or negative) do you feel describe CAMRA as it exists today?

Positive

Negative

Committed

Welcoming

Informative

Powerful

Sociable

Hard-working

Tenacious

Well intentioned

Successful

Trusted

Well respected

Unique

Fun

Intolerant

Narrow-minded

Sexist

Arrogant

Bigoted

Lacking in diversity

Parochial

Unwelcoming

Out of touch

Stagnant

Boring

Elitist

Preachy

It’s clear we do some things well, and we should look to develop these strengths, but it is

equally clear that the negative sentiments expressed – and the perception they can generate

among potential new members and those the Campaign seeks to influence – are one of the

most significant threats to the organisation.

CAMRA’s current core values are

Enthusiastic

Independent

Knowledgeable

Passionate

Principled

There is nothing to suggest that any of these values are not appropriate – and indeed there

was support in the third survey of members for all of the above. It is clear, however, that

there is an opportunity to build on these with some additional values that embody where

CAMRA aspires to be.

Page 31

From consultation meetings:

“Be more inclusive and welcoming – both of drinkers of different products and of new members looking for opportunities

to get involved.”

“We must stop correcting people/instructing them in their choice of what to drink.”

“We need to be more welcoming of younger people and people from ethnic minorities.”

“Need to get rid of the sandals and beards image… Proud to be part of CAMRA, but don’t like to say so as there is an

image problem.”

From our first survey of CAMRA members:

“Too many members, especially at branch level, seem stuck in a time warp of forty years ago. CAMRA is not as

attractive - or welcoming - to young people as it should be, major beer festivals like GBBF excepted.”

“You're surveying current members of CAMRA, and (by definition) excluding people who feel that CAMRA is not

representing their interests and/or is an undesirable haven for Kegbuster-style bores. For every inflexible diehard who you

lose with a change of policy, you could expect to gain someone with more progressive views on beer and pubs in return.”

“The organisation has done much in recent years to encourage more diversity in the membership and participation in

events which I think is critical going forward and has made a big contribution to improved quality of, and demand for,

ale, cider and perry.”

Stakeholder opinion:

“People often join at beer festivals – fun and welcoming environment, then attend a local branch meeting and find the

opposite. Unwelcoming to new faces, unsociable, uninteresting discussion.”

“Split between HQ and branches. Different (and largely negative) attitude of branch level members, don't seem to stick

to same policy as national organisation.”

“Perception of negativity and exclusion, focus on what we dislike.”

“Attitudes and activities at local level can often be very embarrassing for the organisation as a whole.”

“Have friendlier people running your local branches who are impartial and don’t just support their friends.”

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

In order to address the most widespread negative perceptions around CAMRA’s

current values and behaviours, we propose the following core values are added

to CAMRA’s existing ones:

o Welcoming

o Inclusive

o Diverse

In recognition of widespread member support, we further propose that CAMRA

enshrines the following values:

o Sociable

o Fun

The National Executive should show leadership in the implementation, advocacy

and promotion of the new and existing values.

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6. CAMRA’s structure

As already stated, implementing and enforcing our organisational values is an important

leadership activity – and these values should trickle down throughout the organisation. This

leads us to consider whether CAMRA’s existing structure is best equipped to deliver its

organisational goals.

The continuing relevance of our structure has been questioned by many members and others.

One longstanding member who joined CAMRA in the early years described the way the

Campaign was organised as having been “sketched on the back of a beer mat in 1971 and

never properly looked at since”. While clearly there have been some developments over the

years, it is indeed the case that the fundamental structure that exists to this day was designed

in a different era – and with that era in mind.

As well as the 200 local branches in 16 regions, CAMRA’s current national committee

structure has been summarised as follows:

Our consultation did not explicitly ask members for their views on CAMRA’s structure, but

time and again we received unsolicited comments at our consultation meetings and in survey

responses. This is not to understate the hugely valuable role played by volunteers at branch

level – they are the bedrock of the Campaign. But many branches suffer chronically from a

lack of active volunteers, and those that are more successful often complain about being

stifled by the burden of administrative work that falls on them from regional and national

levels.

Many members have suggested that they have found branch meetings unwelcoming and

cliquey; others who have had more welcoming experiences nevertheless described the

dullness of meetings as off-putting. Many members claimed to know almost nothing about

Page 33

From consultation meetings:

“We are stuck in a 1970’s time warp with unworkable national / regional rules.”

“‘This is how we have always done it’ approach by branches needs to change.”

“We need to become more modernised at branch level.”

“Need to deal with stagnant branches which are driving people away.”

“The gap between the branches and the NE needs to be reduced.”

“Different Branches have different views about CAMRA’s future. Branches feel alienated by

the centre and are told what to do.”

“There is a lack of a clear strategy and forward vision.”

“Members need to know what our principles are.”

From our first survey of CAMRA members:

“Revitalisation MUST include modernisation of CAMRA's archaic union-like branch structure

and annual conference procedure which is quite unsuitable for a modern campaigning

organisation.”

“A strong vibrant young passionate leadership is required, but the present structure does

nothing to head towards that.”

“There should be a complete review of branch structures and committee positions to bring

them in line with something more relevant for the modern era.”

“I do think the whole CAMRA branch network might benefit from a revamp/rethink however.

My own branch represents an odd geographical area.”

Stakeholder opinion:

“Membership structure and democratic nature of organisation means decision makers are not

necessarily representative of the organisation as a whole. Only a small minority of members

engage and as a result policy positions evolve based on the wishes of the active few. Risk of

representing just the handful of most active members and not the wider membership /

consumer base.”

“The aims of the organisation seem confused and generally negative.”

Page 34

branch activities, and one Member of Parliament who is a CAMRA member told the Project

that he found out more about CAMRA through its Parliamentary lobbying than he ever did

through direct communication with his local branch.

While it is not within the Revitalisation Project’s remit to restructure CAMRA, it would be

remiss to ignore the large body of evidence of concern about CAMRA’s structure, hence the

following recommendation. It’s also fair to say that as we are proposing change to our

purpose and activities, it is right that the organisation’s structure should be reviewed to

consider whether it remains fit for purpose.

Under the Revitalisation Project proposals:

The National Executive should establish a review of the Campaign’s structure.

This should analyse the organisation from top to bottom and the interaction and

breakdown of responsibilities between volunteers and the CAMRA staff. The

review should be overseen by a suitably qualified individual independent of

CAMRA in order to give the review and its proposals credibility. It should

present recommendations for any reform required to the National Executive

ahead of the 2018 AGM.

7. The next steps

We suggest that the National Executive considers the following next steps:

1. Full consideration and acceptance, refinement or rejection of the proposals set out

in this paper on 3rd

December.

2. Communication to members based on decisions made on 3rd

December.

3. Determination of whether a special NE meeting is required in January to address

point 4 below. This assumes that the February meeting will be too late to set

further work and consider an approach to discussion at Conference.

4. Subject to 1 and 3 agree:

a. Terms of reference or agree how to take forward the recommendations and

impact study, including allocation of responsibilities for both sets of

activity.

b. Role of the Steering Committee or its members in any future work.

c. Objectives and a structure for using Conference to allow members to

consider the proposals more fully, as recommended in our accompanying

paper.

d. Provisional dates for an Extraordinary General Meeting and allocation of

its organisation.

e. Communication to members and external stakeholders on next steps.

Page 35

8. Appendix A – list of proposals

CAMRA’s Purpose

a. Real ale

CAMRA should remain the Campaign for Real Ale.

CAMRA should promote the virtues of well produced, well kept, cask-conditioned

beer as the pinnacle of the brewer’s craft.

CAMRA should re-assert its definition of real ale and undertake an analysis, led by an

appropriate group under direction of the National Executive, of whether or not there is

cask beer on sale today that fails to meet this definition.

CAMRA should adopt a neutral position on the use of cask breathers.

CAMRA should develop a campaigning strategy for real ale that should both advocate

its consumption and articulate how it is positioned in relation to the rest of the

Campaign’s activity.

b. Cider and perry

CAMRA should campaign for real cider and perry to be more widely available,

alongside real ale, for consumers to enjoy.

CAMRA should develop a campaigning strategy for real cider and perry to articulate

how it is positioned and advocated in relation to the rest of the Campaign’s activity.

The National Executive should consider the provision of a specific budget for real

cider and perry campaigning.

Furthermore, in the interests of clarity cider and perry should be referred to explicitly

in future CAMRA documents, where reference to these drinks is intended, and it

should no longer be assumed that the term real ale intrinsically includes them.

c. Other types of beer

CAMRA should seek to promote awareness and understanding of the different factors

that contribute to beer quality, to help consumers make an informed judgement about

the relative merits of different types of beer. It should do this while advocating and

promoting well-produced, well-kept cask-conditioned ale as the pinnacle of the

brewer's craft and campaigning for traditional British beer styles to be safeguarded

and celebrated.

In practice, this means that CAMRA should:

o Permit the stocking of British beers that do not meet the definition of real ale

at CAMRA beer festivals.

o Display educational material alongside other beer types, explaining how these

differ from real ale. This should also apply to foreign beers.

o Ensure the layout of festivals and literature associated with them reinforces

CAMRA’s belief in the superiority of cask-conditioned ale.

o Widen the types of beer available at the Great British Beer Festival, upon

adoption of this recommendation.

o Inform and educate members, other consumers and the trade about good beers

of all types, while highlighting the comparative excellence of real ale.

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d. Pubs and clubs

CAMRA should celebrate well run community pubs and clubs as unique British

institutions capable of delivering vast social benefits and should, as a priority, battle

to arrest the decline in their numbers.

CAMRA should develop a campaigning strategy for pubs that should articulate how

this work is positioned and advocated in relation to other activity.

e. Other on-trade outlets

The special position held by pubs and clubs in community life, and their

paramount importance at the heart of CAMRA’s objectives, should be upheld.

CAMRA should seek to improve the range and quality of beer available in all on-

trade venues, and encourage the provision of high-quality real ale (and/or cider

and perry).

f. The off-trade

CAMRA should champion the drinking of real ale in communal settings and should

not increase its support for the off-trade.

Within this overarching direction, CAMRA’s National Executive should review the

Campaign’s strategic position with regard to the off-trade, both in commercial and

campaigning terms.

g. The arbiter of quality

CAMRA should establish a committee composed of CAMRA members connected

with the brewing industry and licensed trade. The committee should be charged with

considering ways in which the Campaign can enhance and develop its reputation as

the principal and most credible arbiter of quality in beer and pubs. It should take into

account existing practices around the Good Beer Guide, WhatPub, and the Champion

Beer of Britain and Pub of the Year competitions to ensure consistency and integrity

throughout, as well as considering new opportunities, and should make

recommendations to the National Executive.

The National Executive, advised by the Stakeholder Committee, should consider the

option of CAMRA launching a quality mark (along the lines of the CAMRA says this

is real ale badge for bottle-conditioned beer) to be applied more widely to the

products or outlets, or both, that the Campaign supports.

h. Education and information

Educating and informing its members, the trade and the wider public about beer

should be core to CAMRA’s campaigning approach and this should be reflected in its

publications, communications and marketing activities. This principle should be at the

heart of CAMRA’s ethos and campaigning activity at branch, regional and national

levels.

Page 37

The Membership Committee’s development of the Beer Drinker’s Journey should

underpin a shift in emphasis, resulting in a more pro-active approach to developing

knowledge and understanding of real ale and pubs/clubs.

CAMRA should explore commercial options for developing a training arm – either

independently or in partnership with established operators – to offer a range of

courses.

i. Challenging the anti-alcohol lobby

CAMRA should be at the forefront of challenging the anti-alcohol lobby and

promoting the benefits of responsible, social drinking in the on-trade.

CAMRA should identify and develop credible spokespeople and seek out media

opportunities to challenge attacks on moderate alcohol consumption.

CAMRA should commission research to assist in the presentation of a credible

alternative narrative to the messages emanating from the anti-alcohol and public

health lobbies.

CAMRA should explore the possibility of creating a wider independent campaign,

dedicated to supporting the rights of responsible drinkers across the board on this

issue, while retaining the Campaign’s focus on responsible drinking of beer and cider

in pubs and clubs.

CAMRA’s positioning, vision, mission and strategy

Positioning

CAMRA should remain not-for-profit, independent and free of party political

affiliation.

CAMRA should seek to form partnerships and alliances with other organisations

when their aims and objectives support or coincide with specific campaigns

CAMRA should continue to oppose other organisations when their actions or

intentions go against the interests of beer, cider and perry drinkers and, more widely,

those people who choose to drink in public social settings.

CAMRA should explicitly promote and market itself as a campaigning organisation

that represents the interests of all pub-goers, not just the specific interests of its

members.

The introduction of a pub supporter category – an affiliate membership at a much

lower or even zero cost, without the benefits of full membership – should be actively

considered, to enable people to express their public support for CAMRA’s pub

campaigning.

Vision

While the Revitalisation Project’s proposals include a number of changes to the way

CAMRA conducts its campaigning activities, all of these fit within and support the

existing vision. As such, no change is proposed.

As outlined earlier in this report, it is recommended that a committee is established to

consider a strategy for cider and perry campaigning. This committee may wish to

consider whether explicit references to real cider and perry should be added to the

vision in due course.

Mission statement

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CAMRA’s mission statement should be revised as follows:

To act as the voice of pub-goers, in particular those who drink real ale, cider and

perry; to play a leading role in informing and representing everyone with an interest

in good beer of any type; and to promote the benefits of responsible social drinking.

Strategy

CAMRA's strategic objectives should be redefined as follows, in place of the current strategic

directions and key campaigns:

1. Increase the popularity and quality of real ale, and improve its provision by brewers

and retailers.

2. Recruit and retain increasing numbers of beer, cider and perry drinkers – and

pub/club-goers in general – as members and activists

3. Maintain pubs and clubs as cornerstones of communities across the UK, while

seeking to improve the range and quality of beer, cider and perry across the on-trade

as a whole

4. Position CAMRA as the representative of and spokesman for all UK beer, cider and

perry drinkers and pub/club-goers.

5. Provide education and information for CAMRA members, the trade and the wider

public about beer, cider and perry.

6. Enshrine CAMRA’s future purpose within a revised constitutional and organisational

structure.

Articles of Association

The Articles of Association should be amended to incorporate the outcomes of this review.

Our Values

In order to address the most widespread negative perceptions around CAMRA’s

current values and behaviours, we propose the following core values are added to

CAMRA’s existing ones:

o Welcoming

o Inclusive

o Diverse

In recognition of widespread member support, we further propose that CAMRA

enshrines the following values:

o Sociable

o Fun

The National Executive should show leadership in the implementation, advocacy and

promotion of the new and existing values.

CAMRA’s structure

The National Executive should establish a review of the Campaign’s structure. This

should analyse the organisation from top to bottom and the interaction and breakdown

of responsibilities between volunteers and the CAMRA staff. The review should be

overseen by a suitably qualified individual independent of CAMRA in order to give

the review and its proposals credibility. It should present recommendations for any

reform required to the National Executive ahead of the 2018 AGM.

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9. Appendix B – definition of terms in this document

CAMRA Staff: the team of professional, paid staff, working at the Campaign’s offices in St

Albans.

National Executive: the group of 12 elected volunteers who act as CAMRA’s board of

directors and who are legally responsible for the organisation. Together with the 16 volunteer

regional directors, the National Executive leads the Campaign.

Real ale: beer brewed from traditional ingredients – malted barley, hops, water and yeast –

matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served

without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide.

Cask-conditioned beer or cask ale: unfiltered and unpasteurised beer that is conditioned

(including secondary fermentation) in and served from a cask without additional carbon

dioxide or nitrogen pressure. In most pubs such beers are served through a mechanical hand-

pump. Cask-conditioned beer is real ale.

Bottle-conditioned beer: beer that is bottled with a viable yeast population in suspension

and undergoes an additional fermentation in the bottle, giving natural carbonation and, as

such, meets CAMRA’s definition of real ale. Recently, CAMRA has recognised that some

canned beer also meets this criterion.

Keg beer or brewery-conditioned beer: although there are some exceptions, the majority of

keg beers are brewery-conditioned, meaning they undergo fermentation, are cold stabilised in

the brewery and are then sterile filtered, pasteurised or both. Carbon dioxide, and in some

cases nitrogen, is used to propel the beer from the cellar to a tap on the bar.

Craft beer and craft keg beer: there is no agreed definition, but breweries of various sizes

tend to market such beers as having a more intense flavour and containing more premium

ingredients than standard keg beer. In some cases they are also unfiltered and unpasteurised.

Some cask ale producers also describe their cask products as craft beer.

Cask breather or aspirator: a device used in some pubs, which places a blanket of carbon

dioxide over cask-conditioned beer as it is drawn out of the cask, thus replacing the air that

would otherwise be drawn in, in order to extend the life of the beer. CAMRA’s definition of

real ale has been interpreted for some years as not permitting the use of such devices.

Pubco or pub company: a company that owns and operates pubs but does not produce beer.

The two largest non-brewing pub companies are Enterprise Inns and Punch Taverns.

Pub: a licensed premises which is open to and welcomes the general public without requiring

membership or residency, allows free entry, serves at least one draught beer, allows drinking

without requiring food to be consumed, has at least one indoor area not laid out for meals,

and permits drinks to be bought at a bar without relying on table service.49

Club: a members’ club or social club that is permanent in nature, operates from a premises

and serves beer. Entry may be restricted to members and guests of members. Examples

49 The full CAMRA definition of a pub is available in the Internal Policy Document

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include workingmen’s clubs, branches of the Royal British Legion and clubs with current or

past political affiliations.

Other on-trade: places other than pubs or clubs that are licensed to serve alcohol for

consumption on the premises, including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, cafes, hot food

takeaways and coffee shops.

Off-trade: businesses, including off-licences, supermarkets and corner shops that are

licensed to serve alcohol for consumption off the premises.

SIBA: the Society of Independent Brewers, the trade body that represents the UK’s

independent brewing sector. The acronym, which is still used today, refers to the

organisation’s original name, the Small Independent Brewers Association. The organisation

was founded in 1980 and changed its name in 1995.

BBPA: the British Beer and Pub Association, a trade body that represents around 90% of UK

brewing by volume and the ownership of around 20,000 UK pubs. Originally known as the

Brewers’ Society, it was founded in 1904 and adopted its current name in 2000.

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10. Appendix C – our consultation process

Summary

We conducted three surveys of members:

Survey 1 (April): 20,000 responses

Survey 2 (August): 8,200 responses

Survey 3 (October/November): 9,080 responses

We held 50 consultation meetings throughout the United Kingdom, attended by almost 2,000

members:

Region Location

Central Southern Bicester

Central Southern Reading

Central Southern Milton Keynes

East Anglia Cambridge

East Anglia Peterborough

East Anglia Norwich

East Anglia St Albans

East Midlands Nottingham

East Midlands Leicester

East Midlands Lincoln

East Midlands Derby

Greater London South London: Southwark

Greater London South London: Southwark

Greater London East London: Leyton

Greater London West London: Ealing

Greater Manchester Central Manchester

Greater Manchester East Didsbury

Kent Dartford

Kent Broadstairs

Merseyside and Cheshire Chester

Merseyside and Cheshire Liverpool

North East Newcastle upon Tyne

North East Darlington

Scotland and NI Edinburgh

Scotland and NI Glasgow

Scotland and NI Belfast

South West Exeter

South West Bristol

South West Truro

South West Truro

Surrey and Sussex Hastings

Surrey and Sussex Guildford

Wales Newport

Wessex Salisbury

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Wessex Eastleigh

Wessex Poole

West Midlands Birmingham

West Midlands Stoke-on-Trent

West Midlands Shrewsbury

West Pennines Douglas, Isle of Man

West Pennines Carlisle

West Pennines Lancaster

West Pennines Preston

Yorkshire York

Yorkshire Leeds

Yorkshire Doncaster

CAMRA Pioneers City of London

Great British Beer Festival Kensington, London

External stakeholders

We met representatives of the following external stakeholder groups:

Beer writers and journalists

Cider and perry producers

MPs and peers

SIBA members (small brewers)

BBPA members (bigger brewers and pub companies)

Head brewers

Additionally we conducted a survey of brewers and publicans, with 574 responses (86%

publicans, 14% brewers).

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11. Appendix D – PEST analysis

This analysis seeks to identify the key political, economic, sociological and technological

changes that are likely to occur in the next five years. Green indicates a positive change,

amber indicates no change and red indicates a negative change from the perspective of

CAMRA’s current strategy and positioning.

Political analysis

Factor Likely change

Beer duty – annual duty changes

have a significant impact on

beer consumption and pub

numbers

Beer duty will increase but

below the rate of inflation.

This outcome, however, is

dependent on effective

industry campaigning

VAT – big impact on pub prices No change

Planning controls over the use

of pubs

Minor changes anticipated but

no signs of immediate

breakthrough

The likely departure of the UK

from the EU:

Will dominate the

political agenda

Increased flexibility for

the UK government

Highly unpredictable

Small Brewers’ Relief – key in

supporting the huge growth

experienced by small brewers,

which has in turn increased

competitive pressure faced by

medium-sized brewers

Minor changes to mitigate

pressures faced by medium

sized brewers

Alcohol guidelines – potential

to change consumer attitudes to

alcohol consumption

Tougher guidelines from the

Chief Medical Officers look

likely to be adopted into

government policy – despite

widespread concern

Drink-driving limits – lower

limits reduce the number of

opportunities to visit pubs for a

significant section of the

population

Reduced limits likely in

Wales to bring into line with

limits in Scotland and

Northern Ireland. Possible

change in England

Licensing legislation is key to

the availability of alcohol to

consumers

No major change

Cider duty – zero duty for small

cider producers

No major change

The new Pubs Code and

Adjudicator will mean increased

scrutiny of the pubco-tenant

relationship improving the

Impact of Code and

Adjudicator likely to be

positive. An improving tenant

and pub relationship means

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prospects for tied pubs. this is expected to be less of a

campaign focus

Economic analysis

Factor Likely change

Consumer disposable

incomes

Set to increase

Real ale share of pub beer

sales

Set to increase

Total UK beer sales –

on-trade and off-trade

Remain steady

Total beer sales – on-trade Continue to decline

Beer’s share of alcohol

consumption

Remain steady

Real ale sales Remain steady

Pub numbers Continue to fall

Global brewers’ market

dominance

Continue to dominate

Real cider and real perry have

little prospect of breaking into

the mainstream due to

dominance of large suppliers

and difficulty in determining

what is real and what is not

No change

Sociological

Factor Likely change

Changing attitudes to alcohol

consumption

Alcohol consumption per

head will fall further

Consumer focus on quality

and provenance

Trend towards a greater

emphasis on quality will

continue

Changing leisure habits Increased competition from

restaurant sector and coffee

shops plus growth of non-

traditional on-licences such as

cafes. Also, continued growth

in the number of micropubs

Technological trends

Factor Likely change

Keg beer Continued growth of variety

keg beer brands, many of

which are unfiltered and

unpasteurised quality beers

12. Appendix E – SWOT analysis

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CAMRA’s key strengths CAMRA’s weaknesses

Campaigning credibility: seen as the beer

drinker’s voice

Significant influence among

Parliamentarians

Could benefit (via membership and beer

festivals) from increased prosperity

Size of membership, branch network and

brand recognition provide leverage to exert

influence within the sector

Knowledge and information about beer and

pubs

Focus on real ale means CAMRA is well

placed to capitalise on stabilisation of real

ale sales

Successful in introducing consumers to real

ale

Successful in fostering a perception that

pubs are a force for good in maintaining

social cohesion

Lack of engagement and influence in

off-trade

Disapproval of modern preferences for keg,

canned and bottled beer; fixation with

technical definitions of production and

dispense; dogmatic adherence to sometimes

outdated policies

Demographic representation, culture and

values create potential to be out of touch

with changing consumer preference

Public perception of stereotypical CAMRA

member is often negative

Behaviour of some volunteers and branches

in their interactions with members and

external parties can be damaging

General lack of knowledge and

understanding about beer among members

Organisational structure – opaque and

unwieldy

Fixation on variety and new beers from new

brewers, sometimes at the expense of quality

Fixation on traditional on-sales venues

Inadequate strategic partnerships

Poor use of modern communications media

Perceived inconsistency of approach

Inclusion of cider and perry and nature of

their current positioning in the Campaign

divides opinion

Revenue relatively low for the size of our

membership. The low cost of membership

could mean it is undervalued

CAMRA’s greatest opportunities The most significant threats to

CAMRA’s aims

Long-term trend towards increasing

prosperity (notwithstanding short-term

impact of Britain’s exit from EU)

Demand for quality and increased interest

in provenance

Likely strengthening of the

interdependence of real ale and pubs

Work more closely in partnership with

other industry bodies, where appropriate

Support diversity and consumer choice

Exploit interest in new and different types

of beer and dispense methods, fostering

consumer journey of discovery

Address the quality of beer, cider and perry

in the on-trade

Increase in off-sales, and decrease in use and

number of community pubs and members’

clubs

Market dominance by global brewers

Societal changes: declining sales of beer

relative to other categories, and a change in

attitude towards alcohol and leisure spend

Growth of anti-alcohol lobby and their

influence on government; stricter legislation

such a. drink-driving laws

In the short term, securing positive action

from government is likely to be challenging

due to pressures of Brexit negotiations

The emergence of other beer clubs,

consumer groups and associations

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Capitalise on the perception of cask beer

and traditional community pubs as being

important to heritage, tradition, tourism

Tap into the growing pool of potential

members, such as. people attending beer

festivals and drinkers of other beers

Do more to increase the number of

members for influence and to provide

funds for campaigns

Introduce a concerted education and

information strategy to inform members,

consumers and the trade

Competition from other on-trade outlets

beyond traditional pubs and members’ clubs

Increasing sales of quality keg beer poses a

risk that CAMRA could become irrelevant if

other types of beer are not embraced

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13. Appendix F – the Steering Committee

The work of the Revitalisation Project has been carried out by a Steering Committee of

CAMRA members, aged from 27 to 71 and including veteran active members as well as

relatively new faces chosen for their skills and experience in commerce and industry. The

committee has held monthly meetings since August 2015 and committee members have led

more than 50 consultation events throughout the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.

Michael Hardman MBE, Chairman: 70; London Michael is one of the four young men who founded CAMRA in 1971 and was its first

chairman. After working for a number of weekly and provincial daily newspapers, he joined

the Daily Mirror and later the London Evening Standard and BBC Radio News. He created

the Good Beer Guide and What’s Brewing, and joined the CAMRA staff in 1974 to edit both

of them. He returned to Fleet Street in the late 1970s and combined his work in journalism

with public relations consultancy in the brewing industry, mainly with Young’s and brewing

industry bodies. He is a founder member of the British Guild of Beer Writers and was voted

Beer Writer of the Year in 1991 for a series of supplements in the Daily Mirror. He was

appointed MBE in 2009 for his work for the brewing industry and CAMRA.

Ian Adderley: 29; London Ian’s background is in law and he now works in the public sector as a regulator, with

experience of leading large public consultations. He also has a history of activism in the

co-operative, Fairtrade and trade union movements, having been a director of the

Co-operative Party, a founding member of Fairtrade Yorkshire and a national officer for

UNISON. Ian joined CAMRA at university in Hull.

Angela Aspin: Isle of Man Representing the Branches Committee (regional directors) and ultimately the members.

Angela has been a regional director for 18 months, a life member for several years and also

sits on the beer festival committee, being a stalwart at several CAMRA beer festivals. Her

main career working for a charity care provider meant working closely with volunteers, as

does her present role with Manx National Heritage.

Nick Boley: 60; Suffolk National Executive representative. Nick was elected to the National Executive in 2016,

having been an active member of CAMRA for many years, including a stint as regional

director for Central Southern. Nick is chairman of CAMRA’s Technical Advisory Group and

responsible for the Champion Beer of Britain competition.

Andy Fagg: 47; Hampshire A member of CAMRA for more than 10 years, Andy is a finance director and members’

registrar of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, where he has

recently been involved in a major strategy review. He is the main author of the Impact and

Implementation Planning document which accompanies this report.

Lindsay Grant: 62; Glasgow A former teacher and a long-standing and active member in Scotland, Lindsay served as

CAMRA’s Scotland and Northern Ireland director.

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Robert Humphreys MBE: 71; Shropshire Robert has been involved in the licensed trade and hospitality sector for more than 50 years.

After a decade as a hotelier, he spent 20 years with Bass before becoming secretary of the

All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and the British Beer Club in the European Parliament,

from 1993 until 2014. He’s a non-executive director of the Society for Independent Brewers

(SIBA) and chairman of Best Bar None.

James Lynch: 70; Dorset James is a former CAMRA national chairman and ran Bourne Valley Brewery in the 1970s

and 80s. He’s a long-standing member of the Campaign and one of the original members of

SIBA.

Joni Tyler: 59; London Joni leads the Royal Institute of British Architects’ continuing education strategy. In her

career she’s also worked for the NSPCC and in radio. She belongs to various cultural bodies

and works in a local residents action group in North London. She is a dual US/UK citizen,

and has lived in London for three decades.

Ben Wilkinson: 33; Hertfordshire Ben’s passion for pubs started as a glass collector at 16, and he spent more than five years as

a barman and cellarman in St Albans. While he went on to become a journalist and now

works in public relations, his interest in real ale remains undimmed and he has been involved

in a number of campaigns against pub closures. He is the main author of this report.

James Yeomans: 27; Kent James has owned and operated Hop Stuff Brewery, in south east London for more than three

years. He is also the owner of the Taproom in Woolwich, a pub and restaurant, which serves

eight cask ales alongside keg “craft beer”.

Project Team

The Steering Committee has been supported by a team of CAMRA staff members:

Tim Page Chief Executive and Revitalisation Project Director

Nick Forshaw Deputy Chief Executive

Tom Stainer Head of Communications

Emily Ryans Revitalisation Project Manager

Paul Colwill Revitalisation Project Assistant